National Evaluations 2026: Positive Trends in Reading and Math for Young Learners

The latest results from the mid-term national evaluations for 2026 have been released, providing a detailed overview of the skills acquired by 776,000 first-grade students. With solid foundations in reading and ongoing challenges in mathematical reasoning, here’s what parents need to know to support their children during this pivotal stage of education.

Strong Foundations in Reading

For the eighth consecutive year of evaluations, the news regarding students' entry into written language is quite encouraging. The vast majority of first graders have now mastered the "code": they can identify letter names, understand the sounds they make, and manipulate phonemes with ease. These essential skills for future learning demonstrate a commendable stability compared to the previous year.

There is even a positive trend over the long term. Since 2020, student performance has improved in writing syllables and reading words aloud. This technical foundation appears to be increasingly well integrated by students, reflecting effective foundational work in the classroom from the first term. {{img:123}}

Autonomous Comprehension Remains a Concern

While decoding words has become second nature, the next step—making sense of solitary reading—remains more complex. The synthesis results indicate that understanding sentences read independently is the least mastered skill in French this year. This is one of the few areas where a slight decline in success has been observed compared to 2020.

An interesting distinction has emerged between genders: while girls generally achieve better results in French, particularly in oral comprehension, the gap with boys tends to widen specifically in autonomous reading. For parents, this highlights the importance of continuing to read stories with their children, asking questions about the narrative, and understanding that knowing how to "decode" does not necessarily mean full comprehension. {{img:124}}

Progress in Mathematics Despite Logical Challenges

In terms of numerical skills, the trend is upward. For three key competencies (placing a number on a number line, problem-solving, and addition), the results for 2026 exceed those of 2025. Children are becoming more comfortable writing whole numbers and comparing them, indicating a growing sense of number.

However, problem-solving remains a significant challenge for many students. It is the most difficult exercise this session, as it requires integrating reading, understanding the prompt, and mathematical logic. Boys often achieve higher scores in this area, but the performance gap between genders is gradually narrowing, especially in number writing. This positive dynamic shows that mathematics is becoming an increasingly accessible domain for all. {{img:125}}

A Tool for Supporting Every Child's Success

Beyond national percentages, these evaluations primarily serve as an educational compass. They help identify students who may need additional support, particularly in priority education areas where performance gaps remain pronounced, especially in oral comprehension and problem-solving. {{img:126}}